NewAge Longreads

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising reads, ‘We didn’t see ’52; we have seen ’24’. — New Age/Sony Ramani by  Azfar Hussain Those who wax lyrical about oppression and injustice in the country and the world — while remaining silent about the questions of capital, empire, state, and class — may appear sympathetic to the oppressed, but in the final instance, they side with the oppressor and the unjust.—Maulana Bhasani Did the morning breeze ever come? Wh

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising. — New Age/Sony Ramani   by Habib Zafarullah THERE is a particular grief that has no name in English but lives in the bones of every Bangladeshi who has watched someone they carried on their shoulders — whose photograph hung in their tea shop, whose name their children chanted — turn around and look at them as though they are a problem to be managed. This is not the grief of defeat. Defeat you can live with. This

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising. — New Age/Sony Ramani by Obaidul Hamid 26 MARCH — Bangladesh’s National Independence Day — feels especially significant in 2026. After the dangers of protracted autocracy, we have returned to the promises of democracy. Yet the day is also a time for deep, sober, and clear-eyed reflection by the government and people from all walks of life. Such reflection is essential if we are to reaffirm who we are as a nation,

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising. — New Age/Sony Ramani by Sayema Khatun FOLLOWING the July revolution, nothing remains the same in Bangladesh. Let’s take a deep breath and celebrate the restoration of democracy after 14 months of ‘mobocracy’ during the interim period. Although the restoration might not be perfect, it at least allows us time to reflect and rethink. The bloodbath on the streets caused an irreversible rupture in our statecraft and

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising reads, ‘We demand an end to US, Indian, and British hegemony.’ — New Age/Sony Ramani by Zillur Rahman SOUTH Asia is entering another phase of geopolitical recalibration. Domestic political changes, shifting economic networks and evolving security dynamics are reshaping the strategic landscape of the region. Few bilateral relationships illustrate these transformations more clearly than that between Bangladesh and

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising. — New Age/Sony Ramani by Tasnia Symoom AS BANGLADESH marks the 55th anniversary of its independence, the country once again finds itself reflecting on the future of its democracy. Political transitions, debates about governance, and calls for institutional reform have become central to public discussion. Yet amid these conversations, one issue remains surprisingly underexplored: conflict of interest in politics

by Helal Mohiuddin ‘TELL me something,’ a friend asked over tea in Winnipeg, Canada, recently, stirring his cup like it contained the secrets of the republic, ‘are we still the same country that was born in 1971?’ I paused — not because I lacked an answer, but because there are too many possible answers. That, perhaps, is the heart of the problem. The ghost of 1971 still speaks, but in different languages. My friend wondered if the resurgence of Islamist politics in Banglades

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising reads, ‘Now is the time for a people’s government.’ — New Age/Sony Ramani by Ahmed Shamim                                      BANGLADESH is celebrating its 55th anniversary of independence as a nation, and it’s time to ask: Are the people of Bangladesh free and independent? There is no doubt that the people of Bangladesh are free as a nation. This identity stems from the international fact that Bangladesh has bee

A graffito painted on a wall in Dhaka during the July uprising. — New Age/Sony Ramani